Body fatigue-relieving support



Feb. 28, 1961 w. J. MATTHEWSON 2,973,030

BODY FATIGUE-RELIEVING SUPPORT Filed July 29, 1958 Kllllll ((146! Illllllllllll INVENTOR ATTORNEY Unite States Patent BODY FATIGUE-RELIEVING SUPPORT Walter J. Matthewson, 250 E. Cypress Ave., Monrovia, Calif.

Filed July 29, 1958, Ser. No. 751,702

7 Claims. (Cl. 155-175) This invention relates to a body fatigue-relieving support, and it particularly relates to a portable support for a persons neck, head and spine.

It has been found that during a long journey in an automobile, truck or the like, both the driver and passengers become fatigued because of the necessity of keeping the body at least partially erect in a sitting position. Since there is generally no adequate support for the-back and head during this time, the person becomes increasingly fatigued as the journey progresses. In the case of the driver, this is a particularly dangerous situation because the fatigue induces a requirement for rest and sleep so that the driver has a great tendency to fall asleep at the wheel.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the above type by fatigue by providing a support means which permits a very adequate support of a persons body during seated position in or out of a vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a support means which can be easily attached to a persons body and easily carried about.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a support means of the above type which is simple in construction, consists of relatively few parts, is easily adjustable to fit the dimensions of different people, and is not easily damaged.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved support means, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of the driver of a vehicle, the driver being equipped with a support means embodying the present invention, and the driver leaning over the wheel.

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the person and support means of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the person and support means of Fig. 1, with the person in erect sitting position.

Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of the support means, this view being enlarged and detailed.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the neck rest portion of the support means and its supporting shaft.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the device of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a person 10 sitting on the drivers seat 12 before the steering wheel 14 of a vehicle.

The person 10 is wearing a body support, generally designated 16, which comprises a vertical post 18 integral at its upper end with oppositely-extending should'er hangers 20 and at its lower end with a strap holder 22.

The strap holder is provided with a slot 24 adjacent each end, and through these slots 24 extends a strap" 26 made of webbing or any other suitable material. The strap 26 is provided with an ordinary buckle 28 to coact with holes 30 in the other end of the strap.

The post 18 comprises a pair of strips 32 and 34 (as best shown in Fig. 7). The strips 32 and 34 are spaced from each other by a spacer 36 to form a vertical slot therebetween. The strip 32 serves as the front surface of the post 18 while the strip 34 serves as the rear surface thereof.

The shoulder hangers 20 each extend laterally from the'top of the post 18 and'each is provided atits end with an elbow 3S integral with a perpendicularly-offset, curved, shoulder rest 40. i

The post 18,strap holder 22 and shoulder hangers 20 are preferably constructed of sheet metal for both strength and flexibility. These partsmay, however, be covered on their "inner surfaces with padding or the like for the greater comfort of the person wearing the support. This is especially true of the shoulder hangers. In fact, in the device illustrated, the shoulder rests 40 comprise the spring metal strip 42 completely covered by padding 44 (note Fig. 8).

Slidable in the channel formed between strips 32 and 34 is an elongated, generally flat rod 46 having an offset upper portion 48 on which is positioned a neck rest 50 made of rubber, foam rubber, cork or any other suitable cushioning material. The neck rest 50 is secured to the rod 46 in any suitable manner. At approximately its mid-point, the rod 46 is provided with a stampedout finger 52 having a button 54 at its free end. This button 54, mounted on the flexible finger 52, is adapted to be received within any one of the holes 56 formed in vertically-spaced series on the rear strip 34 of the post 18.

The button 54 is biased by its finger 52 into a position within one of the holes 56. When in one of these holes, the rod 46 is held in vertically-adjusted position according to the hole in which the button 54 is positioned. To adjust the rod 46 to another vertical position, it is merely necessary to reach back and press the button 54 out of its hole 56 after which the rod 46 is moved to the next desired position. When it reaches this next position, the button 54 automatically pops into the corresponding hole 56 under the tension of spring finger 52.

The support 16, when worn by a person, permits him to move back and forth, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, while yet giving him full support at both the spinal and neck area due to the flexibility of the body support device. The strap 26, can, of course, be adjusted to the size of the persons waist. I

The above-described body support device can not only be used with advantage by drivers or passengers in a motor vehicle, train, plane or the like, but is also very useful for the support of convalescents, feeble and ill persons. It should also be noted that the device may be made in various sizes and dimensions to fit persons v v V 3 taching said support to the vehicle seat occupants waist, inverted U-shaped shoulder-supported rests on said post, and an adjustable neck rest on said post, said neck rest means being free of any head securing means, said neck rest having adjustment means thereon operable, by the wearer while said support is in position on said wearer.

2. The body fatigue-relieving support of claim 1 wherein said means for attaching the support to the vehicle seat occupants waist comprises a transverse flexible strip at one end of said post, slots in said transverse strip and a flexible strap extending through said slots.

3. The body fatigue-relieving support of claim 1 wherein said neck rest is provided with a cushioning means.

4. The body fatigue-relieving support of claim 1 wherein said shoulder rests are integral with transversely extending hanger arms and wherein said shoulder rests are padded with cushioning material.

5. For use in overcoming fatigue in the occupant of a vehicle seat, a body fatigue-relieving support comprising a flexible post. means for attaching said post to the body of the vehicle seat occupant, inverted U-shaped means for supporting said post on the vehicle seat occupants shoulders, and neck rest means adjustably connected to said post, said neck rest means being free of nected to said post, said neck rest means being free of any head securing means, said neck rest means comprising an elongated flat rod slidably positioned in a vertical channel in said post, a cushioning means at the upper end of said rod, and a spring finger on said rod, said spring finger having a button which is selectively insertable into a series of vertically spaced holes on said post, said holes opening out of one face of said post to permit contact with said button from outside said post, and said spring finger biasing said button into said holes.

6. The body fatigue-relieving support of claim 5 wherein said spring finger is stamped from said rod intermediate the ends of said rod.

7. The body fatigue-relieving support of claim 5 wherein said cushioning means is mounted on an offset portion of said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cohen June 25, 1957 

